Method and apparatus for severing strip material into lengths



Feb. 23, 1965 H. F. HAWKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVEJRING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1962 INVENTOR. HQROLDEHQWKINS QTTORNEV Feb. 23, 1965 H. F. HAwKms METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. April 6, 1962- INVENTOR. TfifQEGLD 'HQWKINS QTTORNEY Feb. 23, 1965 H. F. HAWKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTHS Filed April 6, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HQROLDFHQWKWS Feb. 23, 1965 H. F. HAWKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING STRIP MATERIAL mm LENGTHS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1962 INVENTOR. HWK INS HQEOLDFH Wi l a, N MP HTTOENEY r. HAWKINS 3,1'Z'fi,35fi

Rm. 1mm LENGTHS Feb. 23, 1965 SEVERING STRIP MATE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 8 Sheets-Shem Filed April 6, 1962 WVENTOR. HQEOLDQHQWKWS BY Q OFBNE Y Feb 23, 1965 H. F. HAWKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVEIRING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTH-S 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 6, 1962 WVENTOR. HQEOL PE HQWK INS QTTORNE Feb. 23, 1965 H. F. HAWKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTHS 8 Sheets Sheet 7 Filed April 6, 1962 INVMOR.

RTTORNE? Feb. 23, 1965 H. F HAWKINS 3,170,350

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ssvaamc; STRIP MATERIAL m'ro LENGTHS Filed April 6, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

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\\\\ Heraow HAWKINS HTTOENEI A y N \N 2/ /4 7/ United States Patent 6 3,170,350 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING STRIP MATERIAL INTO LENGTHS Harold F. Hawkins, Lockport, N.Y., assignor to Dunlop Tire and Rubber Corporation, Buifalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 185,745 16 Claims. (Cl. 83-156) My invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting strip stock into lengths. The method and apparatus are particularly applicable to cutting rubber strip stock, such as used as tread and side walls for pneumatic tires.

Rubber stock of this type is extruded from an extruding machine and then passed to a cutting or severing or sciving apparatus for cutting into successive sections of equal length for wrapping about a tire carcass in the formation of a tire.

Heretofore the strip, such as rubber for treads or side walls of tires, has been conveyed continuously and the severed sections or lengths have been cut from the moving strip by means of a large circular knife which moves transversely of the strip and also lengthwise in synchronism with it so as to make a transverse cut. The knife must then be returned to its original position to make a succeeding cut or cuts. These cutting knives limit the speed at which the strip may move lengthwise so that the operation is slow and the accuracy with which the strip is severed into equal lengths is not generally satisfactory. In cutting a wide stock in the short time available a very large drive is required which causes high inertias and a high maintenance cost to insure the accuracy within tolerable limits.

My invention removes or obviates these disadvantages and provides an apparatus and a method in which strip such as tread and side wall stock for tires may be severed quickly and accurately and without involving the high inertias and high maintenance costs of apparatus heretofore used.

- In the method and apparatus of my invention, the severing means is positioned in fixed, stationary, position adjacent a conveyor on which the strip is conveyed. When the strip reaches a position at which a cut is to be made the conveyor is stopped and the cutting element which is normally positioned immediately above the strip is swung downwardly to cut through the strip which is relatively thin as compared with its width, and the cutter then returns to its original position.

The strip is raised above the conveyor to enable the cutting element to pass completely through it without injuring the belt or other elements of the conveyor. Holding elements pressing on top of the strip near the place where the cut is to be made also insures of any displacement during cutting. The cutting element is preferably a band saw which is pivoted on a frame above the conveyor and strip and is tilted downwardly to make the cut by means of a power operated means. When the cutting has been completed the conveyor is again set in motion and a measured length of the strip passes beneath and past the plane on which the cutter element severs the strip, and the operation is repeated.

The measuring means may be operated by a rotating element driven by a pulley on which the belt conveyor is supported and moved. In order to lift the strip above the belt conveyor for cutting or severing, this part of the conveyor is composed of a number of relatively narrow transversely spaced belts and the lifting element comprises fingers pivotally mounted so that they may pass upwardly between the spaced belt elements to lift the strip for cutting. These fingers may have slots into which the band saw or other cutting element may be received at the completion of the cutting stroke.

The severed lengths of strip are conveyed away from the cutting element after severance by rollers and a conveyor running at a sometimes greater linear speed than the conveyor that brings the'strips into position beneath the cutting element. While the conveyor that advances the strip to the cutting element is held stationary to permit the cutting, the oil-take rollers tend to hold the strip in extended position and immediately upon release of the cutting element rapidly remove the strip.

The various features of the method and apparatus of my invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which FIGS. 1 .and la are a side elevation of the conveyor and severing element and associated elements; FIG. 1a showing that portion of the conveyor which brings the strip into position for cutting, and FIG. 1 showing the offtake portion of the conveyor;

FIGS. 2 and 2a are plan views of the conveyor shown in FIGS. 1 and la; FIG. 2 showing that part of the conveyor at which the severance is made and the part for removing the severed strip, While FIG. 2a shows that part of the conveyor which brings the strip into position for cutting or severance;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the conveyor taken on line 3-3 of FIG. la;

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. la;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a view of the severing element taken from the plane indicated at 77 in FIG. 1a;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation on a larger scale of the severing element;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation on a larger scale of a part of the apparatus for removing the severed lengths of strip;

FIG. 10 is a vertical transverse sect-ion of the conveyor taken on line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. ll is a side view on a larger scale of the elements for lifting the strip and holding it in position for cutting, and

FIG. 12 is a vertical view partly in section taken transversely of the direction of travel of the conveyor and showing means for raising and lowering the pressing fingers that press the strip downwardly onto the lifting fingers for cutting.

Referring more particularly tov FIGS. 1, la, 2 and 2a, the continuous strip of material to be severed as, for example, strip 13 of tread stock that has been extruded and then cooled is delivered over a pulley 14 suitably supported on a framework 15 to a belt 16, the receiving end of which is trained about a supporting pulley 17 mounted on a frame 18 in position to receive the strip delivered from the pulley 14. The strip is delivered continuously by the pulley 14 and as the drive of the belt 16 is interrupted at intervals for severing the strip, the receiving pulley 17 is spaced from the delivery pulley 14 to permit the strip to hang in a loop 19 between the pulleys 14 and 17. This loop may extend downwardly when the belt 16 is stopped and is taken up when the movement of the belt is resumed.

The belt 16 extends in an upper reach from the pulley 17 to a pulley 17'. It then extends from the pulley 17 in a lower reach2tl to an idler pulley 21 thence about a driving pulley 22, a second idler pulley 23 and back in a lower reach to the pulley 17. The driving pulley 22 is driven from a suitable source 24 by means of a chain or belt 25 and a clutch 26 which enables the movement of the belt to be interrupted at intervals by disconnecting the pulley 22 from the driving chain 25 by means of the clutch 26. The belt is preferably a fiat belt extending continuously from one side to the other as shown in FIG. 2a.

The strip is delivered from the belt 16 to a continuous belt of shorter length 27 in advance of the roller 17 and beneath a severing element 28. The belt 27 is trained about a pulley 29 spaced slightly from the pulley 17 and a pulley 30 at the delivery end of the belt. The belt 27 as shown in FIG. 2 is formed of a series of narrow belts spaced transversely of the direction of movement of the strip to provide spaces through which the lifting fingers may be raised. The pulleys 29 and 30 are supported on the frame 18 and are driven at a speed to provide equal speeds to the belts 16 and 27. As shown in the upper right-hand part of FIG. 2, this may be accomplished by extending a shaft 31 of the pulley 17 and a shaft 32 of the pulley 29 and connecting the shafts by pulleys, or sprocket wheels and a chain or belt 33.

The severing element 28 as shown in FIG. la and on a larger scale in FIGS. 7 and 8, is positioned above the belt 27 and comprises a frame 34 having a pair of side plates 35, one at each side of the belt 27, pivoted on bearings 36 mounted on horizontal beams 37, one at each side of the frame 18, so that it may be tilted about the bearings 36 at different angular positions and fixed in place by means of a pin 38 which may be inserted through any one of a number of openings 39 in the frame of the severing element and into a hole in the beam 37. By suitably adjusting the tilted position of the frame 34 the angle of the cuts may be adjusted.

The cutting element is mounted on a carriage 40 which has a horizontal shaft 41 extending horizontally and transversely of the conveyor belt between bearings 42 in the upper part of the side plates 35. Supported on the shaft 41 are a pair of brackets 43 and 44, one pair on opposite sides of the mid point of the shaft 41. And between each pair of brackets is mounted a bearing block 45 in each of which is journalled a pulley 46 on which is trained an endless band saw 47. Mounted on the diametrically opposite side of the shaft 41 is a mounting 48 for an electric motor 49 which drives one of the pulleys of the band saw. The mounting 48 may be constructed of a pair of channel beams 50, FIGS. la and 8, arranged in a box-like structure lengthwise of the shaft 41. The motor 49 is provided with a pulley 51 which drives a pulley 52 by means of a belt 53, the pulley 52 being keyed to the shaft of one of the pulleys 46. The motor 49 may be continuously driven to provide a continuously driven band saw 47.

As a strip 13 is conveyed by the belts 16 and 27 its length is measured by a measuring or counting device 54 (FIG. 1a) driven from the belt supporting pulley 17 through a connecting transmission device as, for example, the belt 55 and appropriate supporting pulleys. When the strip has advanced to a predetermined distance the measuring device or counter 54 activates an electric circuit, not illustrated, to disconnect the clutch 26 from the pulley 22 and stop the movement of the belts 16 and 27 and also actuates a means for rotating or tilting the severing unit about the bearings 36 to bring the lower reach of the band saw from a position slightly above the strip to a position slightly above the belt elements 27 to sever or cut the strip. The rotation or tilting of the severing means is accomplished through a control mechanism, such as an electric circuit and control elements not shown, to admit a fluid under pressure to the upper end of a cylinder 56 pivoted at 57 as shown in FIGS. 1a, 7 and 8. The cylinder 56 contains a piston having a piston rod 58 extending upwardly and connected to the end of a crank arm 59 which is keyed to or otherwise secured to the rock shaft 41.

In its uppermost position the crank arm 59 is in the position shown in dot and dash line in FIG. 8, and the band saw 47 is in the position shown in dot and dash line. The admission of pressure fluid to the. upper end of the cylinder 56 swings the crank arm to the position shown in full lines and swings the band saw downwardly with its lower end adjacent the conveyor belt 16, as shown in FIG. 8.

The lower end or reach of the band saw is guided by a pair of guiding elements 69, one near each of the pulleys 56. The details of these guides are shown in FIG. 6. As there shown the guide comprises a stem 61 supported from the end of one of the brackets 43 and 44 at oneside of the band saw 47. A short stub 62 is supported from the end of the stem 61 by means of an elbow 63 and a guide housing 64 is supported on the sutb 62 above the upper edge of the band saw 47. A pair of rollers 65 and 66 are rotatably mounted on the guide housing 64 and are so spaced as to contact the opposite sides of the band saw. A third roller 67 is mounted on the guide element to abut the upper edge of the band saw. By means of these guides the lower reach of the band saw is held accurately between the three rollers. The guide elements 68 are spaced a distance apart somewhat greater than the width of the strip to be cut.

It is necessary that the movement of the band saw shall not be sufficient to engage the belt elements 27, as this would destroy the elements. And it is therefore necessary to lift the strip to be severed somewhat above the upper surface of these belt elements. As illustrated 1n FIG. 8, this is accomplished by lifting fingers 68 pivotally supported on a shaft 69 transverse to the length of the conveyor and supported in a bracket 70 on each side of the conveyor frame.

The fingers 68 comprise a number of upward extensions 71 which as shown in FIG. 3 extend upwardly through the spaces between the spaced belt elements Normally the fingers 68 are in their lowermost position with the upper edges of the extensions below the upper surface of the belt elements 27. At or immediately in advance of the downward swing of the cutting element, namely band saw 47 to cutting position, the fingers 68 are swung upwardly to raisethe upward extension 71 to the position shown in FIG. 3 by actuating means mounted on the shaft 41 of the strip severing assembly. This actuating means comprises a crank arm 72 fixed on the sha'ff- 41 and connected by a link 73 to a crank arm 74 fixed on a rock shaft 75 journalled in a bearing 76 on a portion of the frame 18. Also fixed on the shaft75 is a carrr 77 on which rests a roller 78 projecting from the fingers 68. I

When the crank arm 59 is moved from the upper post tion to the lower position, shown in full lines in FIG. 8; the crank arm 72 is swung upwardly to the full line pu h tion in FIG. 8 thereby rotating the cam 77 to lift the roller 78 and fingers 68. This upward movement of the fingers 68 which carries the upper projection 71 above the upper surface of the belt elements 27 lifts the strip free from the belt. The upper projections 71 have in clined slots shown at 79 in FIG. 8 which receive the lower, connecting, edge of the band saw and prevent all possi* bility of its reaching the belt elements 27. The above arrangement enables the strip to be cut transversely by a downward stroke of the band saw without danger of injuring the conveyor belt.

To restrain the strip to be cut from being thrown or moving upwardly by the upward movement of the lifting fingers 68, a series of fingers spaced transversely of the belt are caused to bear downwardly on the upper surface of the strip immediately adjacent the path of the band saw. These fingers and their actuating elements are shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 and 12. As shown in these figures this finger assembly comprises a number of fingers 80 spaced transversely of the length of the conveyor and fixed on a rock shaft 81 extending transversely of the conveyor and mounted in a pair of brackets 82, one on each side of the conveyor and extending upwardly from a horizontal por-- tion of the frame 18. The fingers 88 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 81 to swing from the upper position shown in broken lines in FIG. 11 out of contact. with the strip 13 nil downwardly to rest on the strip immediately above the band saw 47. The fingers 80 are tilted upwardly to the broken line position by means of an eccentric cam 83 pivotally mounted on a shaft 84 supported between the brackets 82 to rotate between the positions shown in section in FIG. 11, and the position shown in broken lines. In the latter lower position the cam bears down on the upper ends of the fingers 80 opposite the end that rests on the strip 13. This is the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 11.

Simultaneously with the downward swing of the cutting element or band saw the cam 83 is swung from its lowermost position to its upper position, shown in section in FIG. 11, and therefore free of the upper ends of the fingers 80. These fingers are weighted at their lower ends so that when released from the cam 83 they swing down individually onto the strip 13, as shown in full lines in FIG. 11. As the fingers 80 are'rotatably mounted on the shaft 81 they may swing downwardly to different positions to accommodate a profiled upper surface of the strip such as the camel back of a tread strip for a pneumatic tire. As shown in FIG. 12 the cam shaft 84 is supported in bearings 85 and 86 in the brackets 82 and to this shaft 84 is pinned or keyed a small gear wheel 87. This gear wheel 87 meshes with a larger gear wheel 88 secured on a stub shaft 89 supported in a bearing 90 in one of the brackets 82. The stub shaft 89 is driven from the shaft 75 through a crank arm 91 fixed on the shaft 89 and, as shown in FIG. 8, connected by a link 92 to a crank arm 93 fixed on the shaft 75 which, as pointed out above, is rocked from the shaft 41 of the severing element 28 through the arm 72, link 73 and crank arm 74. This insures an accurate synchronism between the release of the fingers 80 and the swinging of the cutting element or v band saw 47 Then, after a out has been made and the band saw has reached its lowermost position a limit switch 94 mounted on the frame 34 below the shaft 41, FIGS. 7 and 8, of any suitable construction, acts through an electric control circuit, not shown, to admit pressure fluid to the cylinder 56 to raise the crank arm 59 to its uppermost position, thereby swinging the band saw 47 to its uppermost position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 8, dropping the lifting fingers 68 to their lowermost position and swinging the cam 83 to its lower position to lift the pressing fingers 80 free from contact with the strip. At the same time means, not shown, controlled by the electric circuit engages the belt 16 with the driving motor 24 to advance the strip past the path of the band saw. The limit switch 94 may be controlled by a cam 95 mounted on the shaft 41 and adjustable thereon and having a surface which bears against a cam follower 96 on an actuating arm 97 which actuates the limit switch 94 to starting position.

When the counter or measuring device 54 driven from the conveyor pulley 17 has reached a position corresponding to the length of strip to be severed it actuates an electric system to admit fluid to the upper part of the cylinder 56 and move the cutting elements, lifting fingers and pressure fingers to position for severing a length of strip. These steps are repeated periodically to sever the advancing strip into successive lengths.

During the cutting of the strip the portion extending beyond the cutting element or band saw and which is to be cut is supported on a conveyor which tends to hold this portion of the strip smooth and taut and which after cutting removes the cut strip rapidly to make room for a successive length to be cut. The supporting surface of the conveyor on which the length of strip beyond the cutting element is supported travels at a linear speed somewhat greater than that of the belt conveyors 16 and 27. This is for the purpose of holding the length projecting past the path of the cutting element smooth and taut and also to remove it rapidly after it is cut or severed. This provides a drag or pull on the length which is to be severed which tends to hold it straight until it is cut. The remov- 6 ing con'v'eyo'r of the present invention is driven at such a) speed and is so constructed as to provide a suflicient drag to hold the strip to be cut but not so great as to stretch, distort or tear any portion of the strip. This removing conveyor is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10.

As shown in these figures, the conveyor element is formed of a series of closely spaced parallel rollers 98 extending transversely of the direction of travel of the strip to be cut and each supported by means of a shaft 99 journaled in side beams 100 which are supported at one end on the frame 18 and at the opposite end on a frame 101. The strip extending beyond the cutting element is received and rests upon the uppermost surfaces of the rollers 98. These rollers are rotated by means of a belt 102 passing over and in contact with the upper surfaces of the rollers from a pulley 103 adjacent the end pulley 30 of the belt conveyor 27 to a driven pulley 104 mounted in a bearing 105 carried on a bracket 106' on the support 101. The pulley 104 is driven from a roller 119 of a take-off belt 118 rotating in bearings 107 V by means of a sprocket wheel 108 driven by. the roller and a chain drive 109. Shown more particularly in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rollers 98 are driven by frictional contact with the belt 102 at their upper surfaces and the magnitude of this friction is controlled by a series of Weights 110, one series near each end of the roller. These weights are held from moving longitudinally with the belt by means of stems 111 for each weight engaging in slots 112 in a plate 113 carried on a bracket 114 of a longitudinal beam 115 supported on the beam 100. The weights with their stems 111 are covered by a cover plate 116. As shown in FIG. 9, each weight 110 preferably rests on two rollers 98 to insure that they will be held level.

The speed with which the belt 102 moves may be adjusted by adjusting the weights 110 to provide a greater or lesser frictional engagement of the belt on the rollers 98. In this way by adjusting the speed of the rollers 98 the drag on the strip about to be severed is adjusted to hold the strip taut without stretching or otherwise injuring it. Inasmuch as the belt 102 may move at a faster speed once the strip is severed and as the rollers 98 are rotated at a greater linear speed than the belt 16, the severed piece is rapidly removed by the belt 102 toprovide space for a successive length of strip. The lower reach of the belt 102 passing about the pulley 104 returns in a lower reach 117 to the idler pulley 103. The severed strip is delivered from the rollers 98 to a belt conveyor 118 between a pulley 119 carried on the shaft of the sprocket wheel 108 and an end pulley 120, FIG. 2, mounted at the delivery end of the conveyor and driven from a motor 121 and transmission 122.

Through the above apparatus the extruded strip which may be a tread strip, side wall strips or an assembly of them or other material, is conveyed past the path of a cutting element and interrupted intermittently to permit the cutting element to swing downwardly in a short path and return thereby providing a very quickly cutting or severing strip into successive equal lengths. The cutting element is kept from injuring the conveyor belt on which the strips are delivered to it by the fingers which raise the strip or strips at these points, the strips being held closely adjacent the cutting element by the weight of the fingers 80. When the strip being delivered to the cutting element is held stationary the length that has been carried beyond the path of the cutting element is held straight and taut until severed and then passes rapidly to a delivery point.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for severing a continuous strip of material into separate lengths which comprises a belt conveyor comprising a plurality of belt elements spaced transversely of the direction of travel of the conveyor, a severing element positioned above the conveyor to move a cutting element on a cutting stroke across the path of said strip when located on the conveyor, and a plurality of lifting elements movable upwardly between adjacent belt elements to lift the strip of material above the belt elements during movement of the severing element to move the cutting element through the strip.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a measuring means drivable by the belt conveyor to measure a predetermined length of strip to be cut, means for stopping the conveyor actuable by the measuring means to stop the conveyor when a predetermined length of the .strip has moved past the severing element, and means to actuate the severing element to move the cutting element on a cutting stroke to sever the predetermined length of strip when the conveyor is stationary.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a cam mounted on said severing element and movable with said cutting element and means controlled by said cam to actuate said belt conveyor when said cutting element is lifted from cutting position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said cutting element comprises a band saw and means to mount said band saw on said severing element to swing in an are on an axis transverse to the direction of travel of said conveyor through said strip of material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 comprising a guide means to swing with said band saw and having surfaces at each side of said belt conveyor bearing against the sides of the band saw adjacent said belt conveyor and against the back edge of said band saw.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said severing element comprises a tiltable carriage carrying said band saw and a motor for driving said band saw.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said severing element comprises a frame carrying said cutting element and pivotally mounted on an axis transverse to the direction of travel of said strip to adjust the angle of cutting of said strip.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said actuating means comprises a cylinder and piston actuated by fluid pressure.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said lifting elements comprise fingers pivotally mounted to swing upwardly between said belt elements and having notches to receive saidcutting element.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 having means to press said strip onto said liiting fingers during the severing of said strip. 4

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said means to press said strip onto said lifting fingers comprises a series of fingers spaced transversely of the direction of travel of said belt and pivoted to tilt downwardly individually to apply a resilient pressure onto said strip on said lifting fingers and means to tilt said fingers upwardly from said strip.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said fingers are pivoted to tilt downwardly by gravity and in which said apparatus comprises means driven from said means to actuate said severing element to lift said fingers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said means to tilt said fingers upwardly comprises a cam rotatable on an axis transverse to the direction of travel of said conveyor and bearing on said pressing fingers.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 which comprises a takeoff conveyor in position to receive the strip projecting past the severing element, said take-01f conveyor comprising a series of rollers on axes transverse to the direction of travel of said strip, said series extending in the direction of travel of said strip and a driving belt having a tangential frictional contact with said rollers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 having weights resting on said driving belt to press said driving belt onto said rollers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 having means to drive said driving belt independently of said belt conveyor and at a linear speed above that of said belt conveyor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,012 2/27 Denmire 83201 1,617,013 2/27 Denmire 82201 1,819,991 8/31 Stevens 83--208 1,895,274 1/ 33 Alexander et al. 83201 2,293,721 8/42 Engler 8320 2,551,762 5/51 Pfeiffer 83-201 2,602,987 7/52 Wells 83201 2,846,003 8/58 Johnson et a1 831 10 3,040,872 6/62 Hohl 198127 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

LEON PEAR, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SEVERING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF MATERIAL INTO SEPARATE LENGTHS WHICH COMPRISES A BELT CONVEYOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BELT ELEMENTS SPACED TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE CONVEYOR, A SEVERING ELEMENT POSITIONED ABOVE THE CONVEYOR TO MOVE A CUTTING ELEMENT ON A CUTTING STROKE ACROSS THE PATH OF SAID STRIP WHEN LOCATED ON THE CONVEYOR, AND A PLURALITY OF LIFTING ELEMENTS MOVABLE UPWARDLY BETWEEN ADJACENT BELT ELEMENTS TO LIFT THE STRIP OF MATERIAL ABOVE THE BELT 